Top 10 reasons to buy a home pottery kit

Top 10 reasons to buy a home pottery kit


BY TAMRA BOOTH, KEEEPS
One of the top pottery related questions on Google is Can I do pottery at home?” followed by “Can I do pottery without a kiln?”. 18 months ago, the answer would have been, not really but the home pottery kit has provided us with the answer to our pottery prayers – it is now possible to pot at home!  

What are home pottery kits? 

Usually, a home pottery kit will come with a pack of air-dry clay, some essential tools to help shape, mould and decorate as you wish and some instructions.  Air-dry clay, as the name suggests, dries as it is exposed to air which means there is no need to fire in a kilnIt is super easy to work with and takes between 24-72 hours for it to fully dry which means you don’t have to hurry your creations – which is important because great art cannot be rushed! 

Whether you want to have a crack at making a plant pot, tealight holder or trinket dish, or go big and create your own decorative sculpture, the home pottery kit allows you to do so, from the comfort of your home…or office, garden, park. The possibilities are endless. 

Home pottery kits provide everything you need to get your sculpt on, have a bit of fun and get creative - all without any expensive, specialist equipment or skill.  

Why are home pottery kits so popular?! 

Pottery as a whole has taken the world by storm in recent years, with many of us being glued to our television screens for The Great Pottery Throw Down. 

Our attitude towards plastic has also caused us to make more environmentally friendly, sustainable and ethical purchases”[1] with more of a focus on handmade and durable products rather than mass-produced consumables. Ceramics are sustainable, hard-wearing and do we really have to mention unique and stylish?! 

Pottery is known in the clay community for its therapeutic and mindful qualities, with it often being a go-to following life changing experiencesPerfect if you are on the lookout for new ways to manage stress and switch-off from our “always-on” society. It is impossible to scroll through your phone when working with clay (unless you fancy a serious clean up job afterwards), which is great if you crave some “off-time”. 

So, here’s our top reasons why you will want to get potting at home.. 

TOP 10 REASONS TO BUY A HOME POTTERY KIT: 

  1. It’s FUN 
    This has to be the number one reason because I’m guessing you are looking for a bit of fun right now! Home pottery kits do not disappoint. It brings out your inner child and there is something instinctively fun and satisfying about getting stuck in, getting messy and not caring. It’s an outlet where you can let your personality run wild and those creative juices flow.
     
  2. It’s a great thing to do with friends and family
    It’s been a long old year and you haven’t seen your friends and family half as much as you would have liked, and now is the time to make up for it. With the rules changing this week, you can meet up in private gardens in groups of up to six people. Not only that, but the clocks have gone forward and we’re seeing longer, warmer and brighter days, so get your loved ones together, put that bottle of prosecco in the fridge and get your clay kits out for a fun-filled catch up! 

  3. They are perfect for all ages 

    Age is just a number when it comes to home pottery kits.  

    Even your granny will love them and with the Easter holidays upon us (I know, they’ve only been back for two weeks!), these clay kits are your go-to for the kids. Not only that, but I guarantee you’ll want to join in when the kits arrive, making it perfect for some weekend family fun. Anything that provides over an hour of family entertainment is worth the investment in my eyes. 

  4. They make a perfect gift 
    I
     love a “doing” present. It’s an excuse to get together, avoids buying something that may be destined for the present drawer and gives them something to look forward to.  

    Clay kits are a great gift, they are perfectly presented, unique, and often come with enough clay for two so that the recipient can enjoy their gift solo or with their partner/friend, or even better, with their gift-giver. You can even buy some snacks and a pottery kit or two and treat your friends and family to a pottery-picnic! 

     

  5. They provide a welcome alternative to Netflix 

    Summer is on its way and it’s time to get back into nature. It is that time of year to come out of hibernation, and revert to our more outgoing, sociable spring/summer selves 

    Bid farewell to Netflix and say hello to outdoor and creative activities. Home clay kits are versatile and there is no reason that they cannot be enjoyed with your daily dose of vitamin D! 

  6. It’s an eco-friendly activity 
    Stoneware, earthenware and porcelain are all sourced from the earth, and when their use is over, they return to the earth”[2] which is why it is one of the most sustainable materials you can use in interior design. 

    Now, I am not suggesting that you will create an interior design masterpiece which Ideal Home will be biting your arm off to showcase, nor am I suggesting that your creations will end up in the bin. My point is that home pottery kits are a sustainable, plastic-free activity. 

  7. Easy way to try your hand at pottery 

    For those thinking of taking up a pottery class, home pottery kits are a cheaper way to try it out first to see if you like the feel and experience of playing with clay.   

    If you love it (which we are sure you will) you can crack on and book up a class but if you’re not so keen, you will have saved a few pennies. It’s a win-win.  

  8. Great for a date night with a difference 
    Looking for some quality time together? Why not treat yourself to a couple of clay kits for a pottery themed couple's night-in. Now, you may be thinking Ghost, Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore! But it doesn’t have to be so cheesy, just grab a ball of clay and get squishing together. It’s more likely to get you giggling than romantic, but either way, this is the perfect bonding tonic.  

  9. They are good for mind and soul 
    I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again – pottery is 
    a truly mindful experience which “heals the mind and feeds the soul”[3]. It is regularly declared as being profoundly meditative by all the potters I know (which is a lot!).  

    The positive effect that pottery has on well-being has even translated into the tech world, with the mobile app Let’s Create! Pottery being named in the “apps that can relieve your anxiety” list on Business Insider [4]. 

    However, there is nothing like feeling the clay between your fingers, putting your phone down and switching off. A home pottery kit is a great way to let go – as Gabriella from Common Ground Collective workshops says, “Busy hands, quiet mind”[5].  

  10.  It can be a way to give back
    Purchasing a home pottery kit through Keeeps means your money helps someone in need to access therapy through art, at time when such workshops and the arts in general are needed more than ever”[6]So, you can enjoy your mindful, fun pottery experience, in the knowledge that you have also helped someone who really needs it. 

With this many good reasons to get potting at home, don’t delay, seize the clay! 

 

Sources:

[1] FutureBrand | 2021 positivity: consumers are making more…

[2] How Eco Friendly Is Ceramic? - Eluxe Magazine

[3] About me — the mindful potter

[4] 8 apps that can relieve your anxiety (businessinsider.com)

[5] The Common Ground Collective

[6] We need the arts now more than ever | UAL

 

 


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